An exploration of health-related lifestyle behaviours of foundation phase learners : a socioecological perspective

Abstract

Young children’s health-related lifestyle behaviours are a growing concern worldwide. Various studies have confirmed that lifestyle behaviours among children in low- to middle-income countries are on the increase, resulting in health risk factors such as overweight, obesity and malnutrition. Factors that impact young children’s lifestyle behaviours include dietary choices and high inactivity levels. This study explored low- to middle-income Foundation Phase learners’ lifestyle behaviours and the factors influencing such behaviours from a socioecological perspective. A qualitative case study approach was used to gather information from two purposively selected schools in a low- to middle-income community in South Africa. Qualitative data were collected through document analysis, non-participant observations, and semi-structured interviews. Data were mined from parents, educators, a senior education specialist, school management team, school-based support team, school feeding committee and tuckshop owners. The collected data from all the sources were transcribed verbatim and analysed qualitatively using codes and themes. The analysis yielded four themes: the physical aspect of health comprising learners’ nutrition and physical activities; the mental and social well-being of learners; factors affecting learners’ lifestyle behaviours at different levels; and stakeholders’ views on support needed in order to influence learners’ lifestyle behaviours. The findings confirmed earlier studies that learners from low- to middle-income families consume food with low nutritional value. Furthermore, learners’ overall physical activity levels were found to be low, failing to meet the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Moreover, learners with emotional challenges were not accorded the support they needed. Finally, the environment in which children are raised seems to have a great influence on children’s health-related lifestyle behaviours. Several implications emerged to create a platform where affected and interested stakeholders can design and implement collective strategies to address barriers impacting learners’ lifestyle behaviours. More research is needed to determine or measure the level at which the identified health-related challenges impact learners in all areas of development. This will inform families, schools and the education system on areas that need to be targeted when designing interventions in schools in low- to middle-income areas. It is also important to include learners’ voices in studies such as this one in order to understand learners’ feelings, attitudes, and levels of knowledge on healthy and unhealthy living. In conclusion, the thesis argues that understanding learners’ health-related lifestyle behaviours can contribute to the design of appropriate interventions aimed at positively influencing learners’ health-related lifestyle behaviours. The thesis hopes to offer the schools in Tshwane South District a framework for establishing a health-promoting school. In this way, the study can contribute to a whole school approach to health education and health promotion literature in South Africa and offer useful tips for a healthy lifestyle, with the ultimate aim of improving learners’ quality of life.

Maitshwaro a mekgwa ya go phela ye e amanago le bana ba bannyane ke taba ye e oketsegago lefaseng ka bophara. Dinyakisiso tse di fapanego di netefaditse gore maitshwaro a mekgwa ya go phela ya bana ba dinageng tsa ditseno tsa fase go isa go tsa magareng a oketsega, a bakago mabaka a kotsi a bjalo ka go ba le mmele o montsi, go nona, phepompe bophelong. Mabaka ao a amago le maitshwaro a mokgwa wa go phela wa bana ba bannyane a akaretsa kgetho ya dijo le maemo a godimo a go se be mafolofolo. Nyakisiso e hlahlobile maitshwaro a mekgwa ya bophelo ya baithuti ba Kgato ya Fase ba ditseno tsa fase go isa go tsa magareng le mabaka ao a huetsago maitshwaro a bjalo go tswa go kakanyo ya leagotikologo. Mokgwa wa tshekatsheko ya maemo wa go somisa dipalopalo o ile wa somiswa go kgoboketsa tshedimoso go tswa dikolong tse pedi tse di kgethilwego ka maikemisetso setshabeng sa batho bao ba hwetsago ditseno tsa fase go isa go tsa magareng ka Afrika Borwa. Datha ya go somisa dipalopalo e ile kgoboketswa ka tshekatsheko ya dingwalwa, ditebeledisiso tsa bao ba sa kgathego tema, le dipoledisano tsa go se latele lenaneo la dipotsiso. Datha e ile ya tsewa go tswa go batswadi, barutisi, setsebisegolo sa thuto, sehlopha sa basepedisi ba sekolo, sehlopha sa thekgo ya sekolo, komiti ya phepo ya sekolo le beng ba dithekesopo. Datha ye e kgobokeditswego go tswa methopong ka moka e ile ya ngwalollwa ka lentsu ka lentsu gomme ya sekasekwa ka tshomiso ya dipalopalo ka go šomiša dikhoutu le dihlogotaba. Tshekatsheko e hlagisitse dihlogotaba tse nne: karolo ya mmele ya maphelo ye e akaretsago phepo ya baithuti le ditiro tsa mmele; bophelo bjo kaone monaganong le setshabeng bja baithuti; mabaka ao a amago mekgwa ya bophelo ya baithuti maemong ao a fapanego; le maikutlo a baamegi mabapi le thekgo ye e hlokegago ya go hlohleletsa maitshwaro a baithuti. Diphihlelelo di netefaditse pejana tsa gore baithuti bao ba tswago malapeng ditseno tsa fase go isa go tsa magareng ba ja dijo tse di nago le boleng bja fase bja phepo. Go feta moo, maemo a boitshidullo bja mmele ka kakaretso a baithuti a ile a hwetswa a le fase, a sa kgone go fihlelela metsotso ye 60 ya boitshidullo bja mmele ka letsatsi. Ka godimo ga moo, baithuti bao ba nago le ditlhohlo tsa maikutlo ga ba ka ba fiwa thekgo yeo ba e hlokago. Mafelelong, tikologo yeo bana ba godisitswego go yona e bonagala e na le tlhohleletso ye kgolo maitshwarong a mekgwa ya bophelo yeo e amanago le maphelo a bana. Ditlamorago tse mmalwa di hlagile go hlola dibaka moo bao ba amegago le bao ba nago le kgahlego ba ka hlamago le go phethagatsa maano a mohlakanelwa a go rarolla ditshitiso tseo di amanago le maitshwaro a mekgwa ya bophelo ya baithuti. Go hlokagala dinyakisiso tse dingwe go humana le go lekanya seemo seo ditlhohlo tse di amanago le maphelo di huetsago ka gona baithuti dikarolong ka moka tsa tlhabollo. Se se tla tsebisa malapa, dikolo le mokgwatshepediso wa thuto ka ga mafapha ao a swanetsego go nepiswa ge go hlangwa ditsenogare dikolong tse di lego mafelong ao a nago le ditseno tsa fase go isa go tsa magareng. Go bohlokwa gape go akaretsa mantsu a baithuti dithutong tse bjalo ka ye go kwesisa maikutlo a baithuti, maitshwaro a bona, le maemo a tsebo ka ga maphelo le go se phele gabotse. Mafelelong, thesisi ye e hlagisa gore go kwesisa maitshwaro a mokgwa wa bophelo wo o amanago le maphelo a baithuti go ka thusa go hlama ditsenogare tsa maleba tse di lebantswego mo go huetseng maitshwaro a mekgwa ya bophelo ya maphelo vi a baithuti. Thesisi e holofela go fa dikolo tsa Selete sa Borwa sa Tshwane tlhako ya go hloma sekolo sa tswetsopele ya maphelo. Ka tsela ye, nyakisiso e ka tsenya letsogo go mokgwa wa sekolo ka moka wa thuto ya maphelo le go tswetsopele dingwalweng tsa tswetsopele ya maphelo ka Afrika Borwa le go fana ka maele a bohlokwa a maphelo, ka maikemisetso a pele a go kaonafatsa boleng bja maphelo a baithuti.

Izindlela zokuphila eziphathelene nempilo yezingane ezincane ziyinkinga ekhulayo emhlabeni wonke. Ucwaningo oluhlukahlukene luye lwaqinisekisa ukuthi indlela yokuphila yezingane emazweni anemali engenayo ephansi kuya emaphakathi iyakhula, okuholela ezicini eziyingozi empilweni njengokukhuluphala, ukukhuluphala ngokweqile, kanye nokungondleki. Izici ezithinta indlela yokuphila yezingane ezincane zihlanganisa ukukhethwa kokudla kanye namazinga aphezulu okungasebenzi. Lolu cwaningo luhlole indlela yokuphila yabafundi beSigaba esiyiSisekelo abahola kancane kuya kwabaphakathi kanye nezici ezithonya ukuziphatha okunjalo ngokombono wenhlalonhle yabantu. Kusetshenziswe indlela yocwaningo esetshenziselwa ukukhiqiza ngokujulile ukuze kuqoqwe ulwazi ezikoleni ezimbili ezikhethwe ngenhloso emphakathini ohola kancane kuya kophakathi eNingizimu Afrika. Uhlobo lweminingwane oluchaza ucezu lolwazi lwaqoqwa ngokuhlaziywa kwemibhalo, ukubhekwa kwabangebona ababambiqhaza, kanye nezingxoxo ezihleliwe. Imininingwane yaqoqwa kubazali, kothisha, kochwepheshe bezemfundo ephakeme, ithimba labaphathi besikole, ithimba labasekeli basesikoleni, ikomiti lokuphakela izingane ezikoleni kanye nabanikazi besitolo sasesikoleni. Imininingwane eqoqwe kusuka kuyo yonke imithombo yabhalwa ngegama nezwi futhi yahlaziywa ngendlela efanele kusetshenziswa amakhodi nezindikimba. Ukuhlaziya kuveze izindikimba ezine: isici somzimba sezempilo esihlanganisa ukondleka kwabafundi kanye nemisebenzi yomzimba; inhlalakahle ngokwengqondo nenhlalo yabafundi; izici ezithinta indlela yokuphila yabafundi emazingeni ahlukene; kanye nemibono yababambe iqhaza ekusekelweni okudingekayo ukuze kube nomthelela endleleni abafundi abaziphatha ngayo. Okutholakele kuqinisekise ucwaningo lwangaphambili lokuthi abafundi abavela emindenini ehola kancane ukuya emaphakathi badla ukudla okunomsoco ophansi. Ukwengeza, amazinga okuzivocavoca umzimba wonke wabafundi atholakale ephansi, ehluleka ukuhlangabezana nemizuzu engama-60 ephakanyiswayo yokuzivocavoca ngosuku. Ngaphezu kwalokho, abafundi abanezinselele ezingokozwelo abazange banikezwe ukusekelwa ababekudinga. Okokugcina, indawo lapho izingane ezikhuliswa khona ibonakala inethonya elikhulu ekuziphatheni kwezingane okuhlobene nempilo yokuphila. Kube nemithelela eminingana eyavela ukuze kwakhiwe inkundla lapho ababambiqhaza abathintekayo nabanentshisekelo bengakha futhi basebenzise amasu ahlangene okubhekana nezithiyo ezithinta indlela yokuphila yabafundi. Kudingeka ucwaningo olwengeziwe ukuze kutholwe noma kulinganiswe izinga lapho izinselele ezihlonziwe ezihlobene nempilo zithinta abafundi kuyo yonke imikhakha yentuthuko. Lokhu kuzokwazisa imindeni, izikole kanye nohlelo lwezemfundo ngezindawo okumele ziqondiswe lapho kwakhiwa izinhlelo zokungenelela ezikoleni ezisezindaweni zabahola kancane ukuya kwabahola maphakathi. Kubalulekile futhi ukufaka amazwi abafundi ezifundweni ezifana nalesi ukuze kuqondwe imizwa yabafundi, indlela ababheka ngayo izinto, kanye namazinga olwazi ngokuphila okunempilo nokungenampilo. Sekuphethwa, lombhalo wobuhlakani uthi ukuqonda indlela abafundi abaziphatha ngayo ehlobene nempilo kungaba nomthelela ekwakhiweni kwezindlela zokungenelela ezifanele okuhloswe ngazo ukuba nomthelela omuhle ekuziphatheni okuhlobene nempilo yabafundi. Lo mbhalo wobuhlakani unethemba lokunikeza izikole eziseSifundazweni SaseNyakatho eTshwane uhlaka lokusungula isikole esithuthukisa impilo. Ngale ndlela, ucwaningo lungaba neqhaza endleleni yesikole sonke emfundweni yezempilo nezincwadi zokukhuthaza ezempilo eNingizimu Afrika futhi lunikeze amacebo awusizo endlela yokuphila enempilo, ngenhloso yokugcina yokuthuthukisa izinga lempilo yabafundi.